Ferguson police identify officer in Michael Brown shooting

posted at 10:41 am on August 15, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

The Ferguson police released the name of the officer involved in the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen, whose death set off a riot and then a tense standoff with police in the St. Louis suburb. The shooter was Officer Darren Wilson, a six-year veteran of the Ferguson police force, who was treated for injuries and has not — as yet — been considered the target of a criminal investigation. However, the police also released the report of the incident, which stated that Brown himself was considered the prime suspect in another crime:

Jackson said that Wilson had been an officer in the force for six years and no disciplinary action was taken against him. Wilson was treated for injuries after the shooting, Jackson said.

According to the police report, this incident may have been the consequence of an earlier strong-arm robbery. Another Ferguson police officer had been investigating a strong-arm robbery at a convenience store and had seen several angles from the store’s surveillance cameras of the suspects. The officer identified Brown as the primary suspect, and the witness to the shooting that has been talking with the media about those circumstances as Brown’s suspected partner in the robbery. Huffington Post reporter Ryan J. Reilly captured the report page in this tweet:

It is worth remembering that this incident is related to another incident detailed under Ferguson Police Report #2014-12391 as well as St. Louis County Police Report #2014-43984. In that incident, Brown was fatally wounded involving an office of this department. I responded to that scene and observed Brown. After viewing Brown and reviewing this video, I was able to confirm that Brown is the primary suspect in this incident. A second person, also at that scene, identified himself as being with Brown. That person was later identified as Dorian Johnson. After observing Johnson and reviewing the video, I confirmed that he is the second suspect in this incident.

That was the investigating officer’s opinion, not an adjudicated fact — but it does suggest why a confrontation between Brown, Johnson, and the police may have escalated quickly. Reilly also tweeted four pictures from the camera system in the report:

Reilly was one of the two journalists arrested on Wednesday night in Ferguson. Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post is the other, and is also tweeting from the same report. Lowery notes here that the convenience store was a Quik Trip:

One Quik Trip was destroyed in the riot that led to the police response this week. There may be more than one Quik Trip in Ferguson, but if it’s the same one that burned this week, it would be a very strange coincidence.

The police didn’t have much else to say, which made some residents angry — but not all that many, Lowery reports:

Not handed out: a use of force report, any police report written by Officer Wilson, any narrative of shooting

Today’s reveal raises all sorts of questions, not the least of which is why the Ferguson PD didn’t release the information about the Quik Trip robbery sooner. It doesn’t justify shooting an unarmed man in the back as he’s running away if that’s actually what happened, but that claim came from the man who is a suspected accomplice in the earlier robbery — and would explain why the police officer might have taken an interest in Brown and Johnson in the first place. Assuming that the officer investigating the strong-arm robbery is correct in identifying Brown and Johnson, it calls into question the entire narrative of the shooting that has been provided mainly by Johnson himself.

If the Ferguson police had been more forthcoming about the incident up front, much of this week’s drama might have been avoided, or at least somewhat mitigated.

If Brown and Johnson were fleeing from a felony theft, the shooting may have been justified under Missouri law — which may explain why the police handed out the report on the strong-arm robbery. But they still have not released the report on the shooting itself, and it doesn’t explain why it took six days to get around to discussing the robbery.

He was just an innocent child! BTW, he was 6″4′, 294 pounds and just tossed around some 135 pound clerk of Pakistani or Indian ancestry like a rag doll after robbing a box of cigars. It was his civil right to take those cigars!

He was just an innocent child! BTW, he was 6″4′, 294 pounds and just tossed around some 135 pound clerk of Pakistani or Indian ancestry like a rag doll after robbing a box of cigars. It was his civil right to take those cigars!

blogforce one on August 15, 2014 at 11:53 AM

His monastic robes were at the cleaners and he was just trying to go pick them up. Stupid store clerk expected a monk to pay for Swisher Sweet cigars and ruined everything!

If the Ferguson police had been more forthcoming about the incident up front, much of this week’s drama might have been avoided, or at least somewhat mitigated. – Ed

Really Ed? That’s not only fallacious but unsupported by facts and statements?

Do you really believe the crowd of rioters and looters would have believed a statement of facts by the police over Johnson’s mendacity?

Marcus Traianus on August 15, 2014 at 11:50 AM

Ed wrote ‘might have been’…not ‘for certain’.
But he’s right to consider that a huge factor in all of this has been such little info from the police about the incident. I can’t recall a similar incident where there was no version of events provided by this police for this long.

Correct. In most jurisdictions, the act of physically assaulting a police officer or physically resisting arrest is itself a felony justifying the use of deadly force.

If the perp did what you recounted, Officer Wilson was justified in shooting him, whether during the assault or while he was attempting to flee the scene of the crime, i.e., assaulting Wilson or resisting the attempted arrest.

The Ferguson police released the name of the officer involved in the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenman who was 6’4″ and weighed 292 pounds, whose death set off a riot and then a tense standoff with police in the St. Louis suburb.

If we’re trying to be accurate, then referring to an 18-year-old man who was that big as just a “teen” is misleading in the extreme.

I appreciate that you try to report what happened without trying to slant it. Getting away from the persistent media bias that is always twisting the truth to push forward their agenda is one of the main reasons I come to Hot Air.

Unfortunately, all too often you report what the liberal media are saying without making any corrections, and we wind up with the liberal falsehoods anyway.

This constant reference to Michael Brown as just an “unarmed black teen” makes it sound like he was just a kid. He was bigger than the vast majority of grown men, and clearly didn’t mind pushing smaller people around, as we can see from the pictures from this robbery.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the shooting was justified, but it seems fairly obvious that “unarmed” in this case is a far cry from “harmless.”

Ed wrote ‘might have been’…not ‘for certain’.
But he’s right to consider that a huge factor in all of this has been such little info from the police about the incident. I can’t recall a similar incident where there was no version of events provided by this police for this long.

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM

Well if you discount the Zimmerman case and all of the rest of the similar cases. Then sure.

CLARIFICATION, Look like I also fell victim to the misinformation. My apologies.

Ethical Society of Police
about an hour ago
Greetings community members of St. Louis, MO and all those across the nation. The Ethical Society of Police has been closely following the events surrounding the unfortunate police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO.

As a result of public outcry and a demand for justice, the Ferguson police officer’s name was released and happens to be, Darren Wilson.

The first thing we would like to assure the world is that this is a horrific coincidence.

May I assure the world that this is not the President of the Ethical Society of Police’s Sergeant Darren R. Wilson who is African-American, and happens to be an 18 year veteran of the St. Louis Police Department.

I’m sure additional clarification statements will be released immediately.

According to USA Today reporter Aamer Madhani (@AamerISmad), a police officer at the home of Darren Wilson, the police officer identified in Michael Brown’s shooting, said Wilson left his home in Crestwood, Mo., ‘days ago.’ – Aaron

It’s possible that the evidence from the store cameras took some time to obtain since the store was completely burned out..? You know the store that had “snitches get stitches” painted on the outside wall.

This is why it is critical to get out there and riot, steal and vandalize before the facts get out.

Wigglesworth on August 15, 2014 at 11:59 AM

I like ole’ Verbs, but after reading a post above about the police presenting their case this late; I think he might be heading that way with his thinking. Kinda blaming the riots on the police investigation. Not sure, and hope Verbs will clarify his statement/point-of-view.

Darren Wilson is a black police officer and he represents the African American police officers on the force.

GrannyDee on August 15, 2014 at 11:30 AM

Uh oh. There goes The Narrative.

gwelf on August 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM

Maybe he is – but this seems to be something that keeps getting reported and then retracted.
Regardless, there’s a heck of a lot more to be learned as to what happened here than what race the officer was.

I can’t recall a similar incident where there was no version of events provided by this police for this long.
verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM

Well, the Stop’n’Rob Brown stole cigars from was accidentally burned down and accidentally spray painted with “Snitches get stitches” so maybe that impeded the investigation. I know it’s all racism, but still.

t’s possible that the evidence from the store cameras took some time to obtain since the store was completely burned out..? You know the store that had “snitches get stitches” painted on the outside wall.

d1carter on August 15, 2014 at 12:00 PM

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 11:39 AM

And a police report needs to have an investigation, it doesn’t happen overnight.

Maybe he is – but this seems to be something that keeps getting reported and then retracted.
Regardless, there’s a heck of a lot more to be learned as to what happened here than what race the officer was.

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 12:05 PM

There is a lot to learn (and it looks like we don’t know the race of the officer – not that it matters to me but it sure does to others).

So maybe you could crack down a little on your fellow lefties who tend to jump into these threads and accuse everyone of being a racist and not caring about justice or whatever other nonsense they come up with.

If the perp did what you recounted, Officer Wilson was justified in shooting him, whether during the assault or while he was attempting to flee the scene of the crime, i.e., assaulting Wilson or resisting the attempted arrest.

Ed wrote ‘might have been’…not ‘for certain’.
But he’s right to consider that a huge factor in all of this has been such little info from the police about the incident. I can’t recall a similar incident where there was no version of events provided by this police for this long.

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 11:56 AM

Perhaps because the police, unlike the race baters and media, didn’t want to immediately jump to conclusions.

Obama administration lies it’s but off for years about a whole host of issues and scandals and verbaluce could care less. Nothing to see there. And anyone who says otherwise is a crackpot conspiracy theorist who isn’t dealing in facts.

But in Ferguson – now verbaluce questions the timing. And why things take a week to be released (verbaluce knows how important getting things within a week are – see IRS hard drive failures one week after being subpoenaed). And why isn’t our oppressive government being more transparent and forth coming.

Of course next week he’ll go back to a palace eunuch for Obama and the state.

There is a lot to learn (and it looks like we don’t know the race of the officer – not that it matters to me but it sure does to others).

So maybe you could crack down a little on your fellow lefties who tend to jump into these threads and accuse everyone of being a racist and not caring about justice or whatever other nonsense they come up with.

gwelf on August 15, 2014 at 12:07 PM

Why should I ‘crack down’ on them? You assume we’re all fully aligned?
You don’t say much when I get called a ‘racist’ (or a ‘race pimp’).
I get called that for ever entertaining the idea of race as a factor is various incidents or issues.
But I don’t accuse people of this.

I didn’t run away. I’m dealing with a classical pianist that is staying at my house and practicing before a concert he’s giving next month, I’m working on an VERY BORING article for the newspaper and my psychotic overgrown snow white husky is going through his normal daily, well, psychotic routines.

Their hard drives crashed and they fired the outside contractor that did the backups so this might take a while. Oh and the officer just texted the police chief on his private phone and told him what happened. So it’s good.

Maybe he is – but this seems to be something that keeps getting reported and then retracted.
Regardless, there’s a heck of a lot more to be learned as to what happened here than what race the officer was.

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 12:05 PM

Was this before or after the mostly peaceful mobs were mostly peacefully lobbing peaceful Molotov cocktails and peace rocks, or mostly peacefully looting and burning stores of innocent shopowners to the ground?

Let us know. You peaceful, rational, level-headed, just-the-facts-ma’am lefites are the ones out there in the streets today over this thing we have so much more to learn about, so you MUST be right about something. You just have to be.

The PD had the units but they had not yet been installed. Nothing from cameras in the area. A perfect set-up for those who want to insist that Brown was summarily executed for no other reason than he was black.

The race of the officer is important – because the early narrative on the left was that he is white – this was part of what prompted the rioting and looting.

With all of the RACISM! screaming going on, It is very interesting that no one has yet identified the officer’s race.

Pork-Chop on August 15, 2014 at 12:09 PM

I’m sure that all those protesters out there would have protested, looted, and rioted even had it been a white-on-white shooting. It’s not about skin color it is about community justice in the face of the Ferguson PD and their jack-booted thugs! /

Why should I ‘crack down’ on them? You assume we’re all fully aligned?
You don’t say much when I get called a ‘racist’ (or a ‘race pimp’).
I get called that for ever entertaining the idea of race as a factor is various incidents or issues.
But I don’t accuse people of this.

verbaluce on August 15, 2014 at 12:14 PM

For the record I have never seen Verbie act or comment like a racist or a “race pimp”. Verbs and me don’t always agree, but dude has been cordial when we comment back and forth. Also, he ain’t not troll.

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

I didn’t run away. I’m dealing with a classical pianist that is staying at my house and practicing before a concert he’s giving next month, I’m working on an VERY BORING article for the newspaper and my psychotic overgrown snow white husky is going through his normal daily, well, psychotic routines.

And all of that is complete BS.

Any other loons want to jump in? Walter L. Newton on August 15, 2014 at 12:15 PM

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

If the Ferguson police had been more forthcoming about the incident up front, much of this week’s drama might have been avoided, or at least somewhat mitigated.

This is the same sort of stupidity we saw with the Malaysian Airlines disappearance. And it earns you the same sort of credibility. (Will CNN postulate that Brown and Johnson ended up in the middle of the street because of a miniature black hole?)

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

libfreeordie on August 15, 2014 at 12:22 PM

You and other race baters immediatetly accused the officer of cold-blooded murder before ANY facts got out, so don’t give me that crap.

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

libfreeordie on August 15, 2014 at 12:22 PM

No. An honest and open minded person would be persuaded to now wait for all the facts to come in. I am fine with you demanding faster answers, but “typing murder without trial” show a shallow mind when it comes to the rule of law.

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

libfreeordie on August 15, 2014 at 12:22 PM

It’s so sad that now you’re reduced to posting such as this. I’m truly sad for you.

Am I supposed to be persuaded by the idea that alleged robbery is justification for murder without trial? That’s meant to convince anyone that Browns killing was justified? If you are trying to prove that this isn’t about race, try not suggesting that the penalty for robbery while black is death.

libfreeordie on August 15, 2014 at 12:22 PM

I knew it was coming. Minimize the fact that Brown was being stopped for robbery and was apparently a hoodlum. We now know the story his side kick Johnson has been spewing is total nonsense, so lets look at the facts.

1) Brown was being stopped on a suspicion of robbery
2) There was an altercation in the police car whereby the officer need medical attention
3) There was a struggle for the officers gun.
4) the suspect got shot.